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Thursday, 10 September, 2020
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Jack Rae bows out after 70 years
Covid-stranded world champ back home
Budding artist wins big - again!
Penny still striving for gold
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Spoons dish up fun By Brendan Rees A Spoonville craze is proving to dish up some fun for kids in Narre Warren during lockdown. The quirky trend which began in England as a way of improving children’s mental health during lockdowns has seen a handmade village of colourful spoons begin sprouting in the front garden of Bk2Basics, a charity that is serving 2000 meals a week to people in need during the Covid-19 crisis. Kelly Warren, who operates Bk2Basics, said the quirky English initiative began about two weeks as a fundraiser after a girl wrote to her asking if the community could start the trend. She said for $5 families could buy a goodies bag containing a wooden spoon, a pack of Sharpie pens and a big bag of lollies. “Over 200 spoons have been given out. Lots of people donated as well to give the spoons out to children,” she said. Ms Warren was hopeful that once stage-four Covid-19 restrictions had eased more spoons would start popping up in the garden. Some popular characters have included Tickle Me Elmo and a member of the American hard rock band, Kiss. Jaxon immerses herself in the Spoonville village in Narre Warren. 215174 Picture: GARY SISSONS
Jail for bar rapist A family man who raped a teenager as she visited his Hampton Park bar and lounge has been sentenced to jail for six years and two months. Mohamed Rahimi, 36, pleaded guilty to rape on a retrial during a Victorian County Court sitting on 8 September after being found guilty in an earlier trial. In his sentencing remarks Judge William Stuart said the incident was an act of “despicable behaviour”, adding the hurt he inflicted upon his 16-year-old victim was “still as raw as that first day”. Rahimi was also made a registered sex offender for 15 years. The court heard the victim had attended a bar and lounge venue in Hampton Park with
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friends on the afternoon of 3 April, 2015, where she was introduced to Rahimi, the owner of the venue. The court heard he had offered her ice before making a proposition that Star News has deemed too graphic to publish. The court was told the girl then went to the toilet where Rahimi followed and raped her. After the girl exited the toilet, Rahimi handed her a small quantity of ice before she left the venue with friends, the court heard. The court heard the next day the girl told other friends about the incident, who then confronted Rahimi about the allegations which he denied. The girl called police and spoke to investigators of the Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team about the incident at Dandenong Police station, and also handed in the
ice she had been given by Rahimi. She was later taken to Monash Medical Centre that evening where her clothing was forensically examined. Nearly three weeks after the incident, police arrested Rahimi and raided his venue, but in an interview he denied the rape allegation. However, the court heard DNA testing had established a “very strong support” that his DNA was on the victim’s clothing. In a victim impact statement read to the court, the victim said she did not feel “comfortable in my own shell” and felt “so worthless every time I try to take a glimpse in the mirror”. The court heard Rahimi, a father of two, was brought up in a disciplinary and stable family in Afghanistan. However, he was left traumatised after his family home was bombed by the Taliban.
His grandfather was killed in a subsequent hand grenade attack, which also left his mother severely injured. Rahimi, who has no criminal history, arrived in Australia at 19 and married in 2003, and the court heard his family and work life was “exemplary”. In sentencing, Judge Stuart said: “Young girls are entitled to go about their lives, their business, going to lounge areas such as you owned without fear of being raped.” In a retrial direction last year he was acquitted of a second charge of providing ice to the victim, and has been on bail since. When sentencing, Judge Stuart took into consideration his plea of guilt, that he was a “man of potential”, and had “excellent” prospects for rehabilitation.
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NEWS
Jack Rae OAM has decided hang up his boots after volunteering for more than 70 years with the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria.
Jack Rae with Berwick Show past president Anne Reynolds documentary filmmaker, Matt Wheeldon in 2015. Matt made a film about the planning and preparation for the Berwick Show. 134739 Picture: GARY SISSONS
A great show by Jack Rae There are few people that can claim such a long affiliation with volunteering for the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) than Narre Warren’s own Jack Rae OAM. During this past week, Jack announced his retirement from the RASV Heritage Committee, formally ending his roles on numerous RASV and Royal Melbourne Show Committees, in a volunteering capacity that extends beyond 70 years. He started his farming career at 13 when he left school to assist on the family farm near Dandenong, where he took on roles milking the cows and working with the horses. Jack’s affiliation with the Royal Melbourne Show began when he first attended as a young boy in the late 1930s and would later purchase livestock and machinery from the event that in those times saw animals arrive by train or simply, walked into Ascot Vale. In his late 20s, Jack would come to be one of the founding members of the Victorian Agricultural Society Association (VASA) and later, their third president. It was during this tenure that in 1971, Jack was appointed as a councillor of the RASV. From the outset, VASA had a strong affiliation with the Royal Melbourne Show and in 1956, Jack was heavily involved with the creation of the Show Girl Competition. He remembers fondly the positive impact it had on launching the professional careers of many young women and assisting them to progress in the agricultural sector.
Jack Rae, second from left, at the Dandenong Stock Market Reunion at the Dandenong show Picture: ROB CAREW grounds in 2014. 120688 Jack was involved in the Share Farmer of the Year Competition and the Commercial Dairy Herd Competition that provided a platform for young dairy farmers to find their feet and suc-
ceed financially. Known by those at the RASV as a versatile worker with a willingness to assist and help wherever it was needed. It is in the role of Royal Melbourne Show
Ringmaster, trusted only to those with an incredible knowledge of and passion for agricultural competitions that Jack is known to many people, having spent 12 years overseeing the proceedings at the main arena of the Royal Melbourne Show. With the support of Melbourne City Council and a team of people, Jack and Peter would later orchestrate the arrival of the animals to the Victoria Market site and the movement of horses, cattle sheep and wagons through the busy Melbourne CBD. Over the years, this display included mountain cattleman droving Herefords down Swanston Street and for Victoria’s 150-year celebrations, they drove 1,500 sheep all the way to Government House Drive. Jack is most proud that these parades, like the Royal Melbourne Show, place agriculture and rural Victoria in the front of people’s minds. Jack would continue to serve on the RASV Dairy Cattle Committee until 2018 and his retirement from the Heritage Committee in 2020 brings his formal roles with the RASV to a close. In a statement, the RASV said: “We thank Jack for his tremendous service to Victorian agriculture, RASV and the Royal Melbourne Show.” “The RASV and the Royal Melbourne Show have celebrated more than 150 years of success due to the volunteering efforts of people like Jack Rae OAM,” the statement read.
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NEWS
Police hope to identify this woman.
Fraud plea Police are seeking public assistance to identify a woman after a stolen credit card transaction was attempted in Berwick on Thursday, 9 July. At around 11.30am, the victim was shopping in Berwick when their credit card and an amount of cash was stolen. Just over 20 minutes later, a woman then allegedly attempted to use the victim’s credit card to purchase items from a liquor store nearby. Police have released images of a woman whom they believe may be able to assist in their inquiries. The woman is perceived to be Caucasian in appearance, about 40 - 50 years of age with light brown, shoulder-length, straight hair, wearing a black jacket and sunglasses.
Billy returns home By Margaret Maccoll
Two rushed to hospital By Brendan Rees
Billy Raymont in competition his horses it had become financially crippling for him paying rent in Victoria, a mortgage at his Cooran property, the expense of the horses and no income from coaching.
Returning to Queensland would reduce his expenses and with restrictions lessening in Queensland competitions and coaching were beginning to return.
Two people have been taken to hospital after a house fire in Cranbourne West on Tuesday 8 September. Fire crews were called to a house at Aquatic Drive just after 11.20am, following multiple calls to triple-zero. Fire Rescue Victoria arrived on scene within seven minutes and found a home that was heavily smoke logged, after a fire spread to the roof. Paramedics were also called to the incident just after 11.30am. An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said two occupants of the house including a woman in her 50s was taken to Monash Medical Centre in a stable condition, while a teenager was taken to The Royal Children’s Hospital. Both were in a stable condition. Firefighters worked to bring the fire under control by 11.40am.? An FRV spokesperson said firefighters used a ladder platform to check for smoke and fire extension on the second storey of the property. “At the height of the incident there were three FRV crews on scene from Dandenong, Frankston, and Cranbourne Fire Stations,” the spokesperson said.? Country Fire Authority units also supported FRV at the scene.? It is the second house fire in a week in Cranbourne West after flames engulfed a Scarborough Avenue property on 2 September where two people were also rushed to hospital.
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A world champion show jumper and his partner whose family is based in Tooradin have expressed relief after finally being granted an exemption to head back to their home in Queensland. After weeks of anxiously waiting for permission Billy Raymont and his partner Tesse Cook were given the go-ahead by the Victorian Chief Health Officer to travel back to their Queensland home with nine of the country’s best showjumping horses. The couple arrived home on Tuesday 8 September after travelling in their self-contained vehicle with a fuel capacity of 6000 litres enabling the trip without the need to stop until they isolate at their home base of Cooran combining the nine horses with 11 on their property. “I thought it was dead in the water,” Billy said of his attempts to return home,” Billy said. “In the end we just had to do the application. They kept coming back for more information. We were told it wouldn’t happen. Then suddenly they said it was possible. Each year Billy travels the east coast of Australia competing and coaching, basing himself in Victoria from the end of September for the summer months during its competition season and returning home to Queensland in April for the winter months and its competition season. But this year they remained in Victoria. They had no purpose to go back to Queensland because Covid-19 restrictions had halted showjumping competitions and coaching and they had an agreement with people with their own horses who were having a house built to stay at their house and care for all the horses. As fate would have it their house build was delayed with the caretakers moving out on the weekend just prior to the couple’s return. Billy said in addition to the need to care for
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Thursday, 10 September, 2020
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STAR NEWS 3
CASEY ANY SYMPTOMS GET TESTED It’s important to get tested for coronavirus at the first sign of any symptom and stay home until you get your result. •
Monash Health - Dandenong Daily: 9.30am - 4.00pm
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Monash Health - Casey Fields drive-through testing site Daily: 9.00am - 4.00pm
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Bookings are required at some testing locations. Getting tested means you keep yourself, your friends, family, workplace and your community safe. It’s not over yet.
For more details visit vic.gov.au/CORONAVIRUS Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne
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NEWS
Fleeing fear By Brendan Rees
Nuha with her winning artwork. 215017
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Budding artist wins prize By Brendan Rees Nuha can’t stop smiling after winning a children’s art competition for the second year in a row. The eight-year-old from Cranbourne North was named the Victorian award winner of the poster art competition for National Child Protection Week from 6-12 September. “It was a surprise for me,” Nuha said, who also took out the award last year. This year entrants were asked to draw ‘pictures of things that you think are important for children and young people’. Nuha said she decided to draw a family in front of their home with a rainbow in the background because this is what makes her “feel happy” during the Covid-19 lockdown. “The house and family means to stay home and stay safe,” she said of her piece
which took an hour to complete. “The rainbow means missing the good times before the coronavirus started. “They loved my drawing and they congratulated me. I was so happy to know that they have selected my artwork and it’s my second time winning in a row from Victoria,” the Minaret College Officer student said who won a $50 voucher. Mum Shakara said: “We are proud of Nuha that she has been winning second time in the row. “We are also happy that Nuha’s artwork is supporting the Child Protection Week”. The judges described Nuha’s drawing as a “beautiful colourful artwork”. Nuha’s piece along with other artworks have been used on the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect website and social media where they have proven to be hugely popular.
Family violence victims in Casey are being forced stay in motels longer as support services scramble to find emergency accommodation for their clients. It comes as police reports of family violence have increased between 25 to 30 per cent in Casey during the pandemic. Sarah* (not her real name) was among the lucky few to be placed in emergency accommodation in Casey earlier this year where she still resides after fleeing a violent partner. “It’s been a godsend, it really has,” the mother of three said after seeking support from Windermere, which provides domestic violence and homeless support services in the south east, adding she could finally sleep comfortably without living in fear. Elizabeth Thomas, the chief executive of WAYSS that helps family violence victims in the south east, said reports in violence had increased in “severity” with the Covid-19 lockdown creating a pressure cooker-like environment for perpetrators being confined to their homes. “At present we are using motel rooms for extended periods which, while keeping people safe, isn’t ideal - especially for victims with children,” she said. “Most of our services are covered under government funding. But we simply don’t have enough housing to support our clients - those experiencing family violence and/or homelessness”. Ms Thomas said the number of requests from police for her organisation’s services had also increased. In June, this was up 46.4 per cent compared to last year. Leanne Petrides, the chief executive of the Cranbourne Information and Support Service, said her team was also working hard to
provide food and clothing to domestic violence victims who had been placed in motels, many of whom were women and children. “Prior to Covid-19, we may have seen a couple a week, now it is a daily occurrence,” she said. Casey Council manager of safer communities Caroline Bell said she has been troubled by rising reports of family violence, adding she expected the impacts to be “felt for a very, very long time to come”. “With the largest population in the state we’re seeing lots of our localised services really overstretched,” she said. She said many vulnerable victims were also accessing help for the first time and “don’t know where to go”, which was also contributing to the rising homelessness within the municipality. Ms Bell said council continued to focus on family violence prevention as well as providing grants to community groups responding to Covid-19. She said it was paramount that domestic violence victims reached out for help as they had a right to leave their homes and would not be fined by police for doing so under Covid-19 stage-four restrictions. “Family violence is actually a legitimate reason to be leaving your house. There’s fear from people not being able to leave and being trapped in their circumstances,” she said. Meanwhile, Ms Bell said council was also advocating for the State Government to set up its ‘Orange Door’ service in Casey, which is a free, integrated service hub for adults, children and young people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence. For assistance call Safe Steps on 1800 015 188 or the national domestic violence helpline 1800RESPECT. In case of emergency call 000.
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HERE TO HELP Anthony is available to help you and your family with any problems you may be experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic or with Federal Government agencies and departments (such as Medicare, Centrelink, Citizenship, ATO, Higher Education, NBN, NDIS or Aged Care). You can contact Anthony anytime by calling 8790 0556 or emailing anthony@ anthonybyrnemp.com 12454848-SG29-20
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STAR NEWS 5
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For those business owners who already have a budget defined for their business, the idea that you can do without one may seem crazy but I still come across many SMEs where this is the case. Maybe it’s because the thinking is that budgets are only required for bigger businesses or perhaps it’s due to the fact that “numbers aren’t the business owner’s thing”, but irrespective, doing without one means missing out on a key way to properly manage the business and at the same time reduce stress. A couple of years ago, I was working with a client who is extremely capable in her field and also has a couple of expensive hobbies requiring on-going financial support. While she is very competent in her professional work, she readily admitted that she didn’t like the financials side of business and since she was not sure how to interpret the monthly financial reports she received, the regular financial commitment to her hobby was causing a level of personal stress. While the thought of doing anything remotely mathematical might have the same appeal as root canal surgery, in reality defining and maintaining a budget is actually very easy to do, makes decision-making easier and will actually alleviate stress. Why is decision-making easier? Well when you define a budget for the business, you specifically allocate a fixed amount to outgoings and for those that are “investments” (i.e. should give you a return on your expenditure) such as personal development, training and marketing, assuming the budget balances, you can assign an appropriate amount of money. Without any such budget, when the opportunity arises to spend money on these items, how do you know whether you can afford it or not? When a budget in place, the question then becomes: “am I going to get a sufficient return on the cash I have allocated for this?”. According to Confucius: “Study the past if you would define the future”, and so an easy way to create a budget from scratch is to simply get a ‘Profit and Loss’ report for the last financial year (this is a standard report from any financial package and your accountant
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IAN ASH will need to produce this for tax purposes) and base your new budget on this. The P&L report will be divided up into Revenue, Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), Gross Profit (Revenue – COGS), (detailed) Expenses and Net Operating Profit (Gross Profit – Expenses) and using the figures from the previous financial year, you can simply determine what you believe you expect to happen in the new financial year, i.e. do you expect more sales or less, can you save money on some of your outgoings and what new expenses might you incur? Three key things to keep in mind here: 1. Be conservative – it’s no good doing a “sunny day scenario” budget, you need to expect that you may not sell as much as you had hoped and/or don’t cut expenses unless you have an idea how to actually do this 2. Factor in wages and super for yourself and 3. Ensure that your budget forecasts a positive Net Operating Profit! If it doesn’t, you will need to look at additional revenue possibilities and/or ways to save on expenses. Once you have figures for the entire year, then an easy way to create a monthly budget is to simply divide each total figure by 12 and allocate this amount per month. It won’t be perfect, but it should be close enough. Having done this, you can then compare what you actually achieve each month (by looking at your monthly P&L statement)with your budgeted amount to see if you are on track or not. There are a number of other things that can be done to monitor and predict financial performance of the business, but having a defined budget is the best place to start. Ian Ash is the Managing Director OrgMent Business Solutions - www.ombs.com.au
SOCIALLY SPEAKING On 4 September the Cranbourne Star News Facebook page shared a story about a Berwick primary school principal saying preps shouldn’t have to repeat their school year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are how our readers reacted online: Nadia Teo: If they did a good job at delivering online learning, I 100 per cent agree with him... sadly some schools haven’t put in as much effort as others, so there is a lot of mixed emotions on this topic. Teresa Adams: It depends on the child! Ben Kerr: What’s wrong with allowing larger class sizes next year and allowing those who need it to repeat and getting Dan Andrew’s to provide valid assistance for the teachers to help them cope with larger numbers? Kat Mann: As with anything to do with school there should be no sweeping rule for everyone. Each child and each family is different. Gaye Guest: All students should have the option of another year at the same level as this year! It should be the family choice not the DET choice. On 8 September the Cranbourne Star News Facebook page shared a story about family violence victims escaping abuse at home and staying for extended periods in motels due to a shortage of housing. Here are how our readers reacted online: Sue Woollard: Why don’t they lock up the perpetrators, so the victims can stay in their homes? Hayley Reed: Because the perpetrators aren’t in breach of the chief health officers directives obviously... but if they do leave the house without a mask on, don’t you worry the cops will definitely pounce on them then
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TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
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Thursday, 10 September, 2020
Thumbs Up To the beautiful spring weather.
Thumbs Up To Dan Andrews for putting people ahead of money.
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To Comrade Dan.
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To my dance school South Eastern Allstars who have kept us all dancing through this entire lockdown.
To Dan Andrews for putting people ahead of money.
Thumbs Down
Thumbs Down Not telling us where the $53 million not swallowed by pokies actually went?
To the selfish idiots who walk around in groups not wearing masks (and I am not talking about people who have a legitimate reason not to wear one). berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au
NEWS
No merit in repeat
Tough year for the kids
By Brendan Rees A leading Berwick primary school principal says preps shouldn’t have to repeat a year of school following months of remote learning as it would have negative impacts. Henry Grossek, who has been principal at Berwick Lodge Primary School for 31 years, said remote learning “shouldn’t be a reason” to repeat children, which may contribute to issues of low self-esteem, as well as emotional or social difficulties. “When we repeat kids: Is the benefit of repeating going to worth having them taken away from their age-group peers in the classroom with whom they already have sort of a bond? The answer is you really need something quite drastic for children to repeat,” he said. His comments come as the principal of Dandenong North Primary School, Kevin McKay, believed many preps would need to repeat their school year after losing at least half a year of essential development. Mr Grossek said while Mr McKay raised a “worthwhile topic for public discussion”, he did not believe the “majority of people would agree with him”. “I certainly don’t support that approach. Kevin’s an experienced well-respected principal and he’s probably speaking on behalf of his community,” he said. While Mr Grossek acknowledged the pandemic had presented challenges and that some children and parents were coping with remote learning better than others, he did not anticipate more children repeating in 2021. “Our starting point in the classes is to keep children as best as you can with their agegroup peers,” he said. “What we’ve noticed and it seems to be a trend, is it’s the lack of their peer group friends (that) seems to be having a bigger impact.
Berwick Lodge Primary School principal Henry Grossek says he doesn’t support the idea of preps Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS repeating their school year. 206312 “The other issue that we sometimes forget is that whilst adults make decisions quite rightly on behalf of children, it is the children in this case who would have to repeat and deal with the potential consequences. In this case it more than likely be negative.” This was a sentiment also echoed by Julie Sonnemann, a school education fellow at the Grattan Institute, who said “research clearly shows that repeating a year has a negative effect on students’ learning given the stigma surrounding it”. She said schools should invest in “catch-up efforts” in term four and early next year, with small group tutoring and targeted literacy and numeracy interventions. “Schools should also modify the curricu-
lum over prep and year one to help as many students continue to move forward.” A spokesperson for the Education Department said it did not expect an increase in the number of prep students repeating in 2021. “Our teachers and schools are doing an outstanding job identifying students who may need additional support and put in place targeted learning strategies for those who need it,” the spokesperson said. “The Department is also currently considering new ways to support students who have not made as much learning progress as others during the pandemic and will provide schools with advice about the most effective interventions that will support them catch up.”
Students won’t only need to catch up on schoolwork but also recapture school morale, says Dandenong North Primary School’s principal. Kevin Mackay says the second-wave classroom lockdown and Covid-19’s impact generally has been “devastating” for many children - who will begin to return to school from 28 September. He compares the impact to generations who grew up in the polio pandemic in the 1950s or the Cold War’s threat of nuclear holocaust. It’s been a particular challenge for a school community, in which 90 per cent of students are from non-English backgrounds. Some parents misunderstood lockdown rules, thinking they weren’t allowed to leave the house at all. They forbade their kids from their own backyards for light and exercise, Mr Mackay says. “It’s worse the second time around,” he says of the latest wave. “From what we’re hearing from the kids, they’re struggling because there’s no substitute for teaching in a classroom.” Over a shutdown of 100 days, that equates to 200 lost hours per child. Mr Mackay recently made headlines with his view that some Preppies at the school will need to restart Prep in 2021. They won’t be ‘repeating’ Prep because they never really started it, Mr Mackay says. “The research into the ineffectiveness of repeating grades is based on doing the same thing twice. “These kids, though, haven’t done it once.”
HELP PAYING OUR ENERGY BILLS COMES IN 4 WAYS We’re all home more and our energy bills are bigger. The good news is help is there if we need it. Help from your energy company - you can’t be
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STAR NEWS 7
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NEWS
Sex text jail By Mitchell Clarke
Creating a safe work zone at Clyde Road.
Picture: LEVEL CROSSING REMOVAL PROJECT
Crossing works on track By Brendan Rees Reduced speed limits will be in place as well as lane closures while work takes place on the Clyde Road level crossing in Berwick. The project, which has been deemed critical under stage-four Covid-19 restrictions, will see a road underpass built beneath the rail line with the level crossing expected to be gone in 2022. The Level Crossing Removal Project says temporary lane closures and reduced speed limits along Clyde Road while crews work this month. There will be no changes to business and property access, and noise levels will be monitored and minimised as much as possible. Up to 40 car park spaces will be closed at the station car park as well as the footpath intermittently from the southern end of Berwick Station car park to Kangan Drive from 10 - 18 September, for service investigation works.
When the footpath is closed pedestrians will be detoured via Kangan Drive and Clyde Road to access Berwick Station. Works are expected to take place Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm, and Saturdays 7am to 1pm subject to weather conditions. Workforce numbers have already been significantly reduced to support directions from the Chief Health Officer. Other works in September include: Site clearing and minor earthworks along Clyde Road, Reserve Street, Enterprise Avenue and Jane Street Relocating underground services along the western side of Clyde Road Road works at the centre median intersection of Enterprise Avenue and Clyde Road Vegetation and tree removal along Clyde Road Geotechnical and service investigations along Clyde Road, surrounding local streets and at station car park.
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A 39-year-old man who used a popular messaging service to send sexually explicit content to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl has been jailed. Damien Gristci was sentenced in the County Court on Wednesday 2 September, after pleading guilty to two charges of using a carriage service to groom and transmit indecent communication to a person believed to be under 16 years old. Mr Gristci used the messenger app Kik to communicate with an undercover police operative from the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Taskforce, purporting to be a 14-year-old girl. The court heard Mr Gristci initiated communication with the undercover operator (UCO) on 20 August 2019 where he openly confessed to being a 38-year-old man from Berwick. The UCO said she was a 14-year-old girl from Melbourne to which Mr Gristci replied “cute” and “no that’s cool”, when asked if he cared that she was younger. He said he was turned on by “young hot bodies”, when asked why he wanted to talk to a 14-year-old girl. According to the prosecution summary, Mr Gristci engaged in a sexually explicit conversation from the outset, which ceased on 27 September 2019. The court heard the offender regularly encouraged the UCO to send selfies of herself, warning to not get caught because her mother would “kill you for talking to a dirty old man like me”. He introduced pet names like ‘kitten’, ‘princess’ and ‘little one’ and asked the UCO what she would like to try with him sexually, before referencing a threesome with his girlfriend. The prosecution said after a period of no contact, Mr Gristci reinitiated communication with the same UCO through a new Kik account between 18 October and 5 November.
It added Mr Gristci requested images of the UCO in her bikini and sent pornographic material including seven lewd images and a video of himself. Vulgar messages sent by the offender were read out in court but are too graphic to report. Police executed a search warrant at Mr Gristci’s house on 7 November and interviewed him at the Cranbourne police station, where he admitted communicating with the UCO in a sexual nature. He told police he would be “angry” if someone spoke to his 12-year-old daughter in the same way. In sentencing, Judge Anne Hassan said Mr Gristci had an intent to “sexually interact with a child”. She said the discussions made it clear he was hoping to meet with and have sexual activity with a young girl. “It is clear that you were highly sexually excited by your interactions with a person you thought was a 14-year-old girl,” she said. “Online activity is a prevalent form of social interaction, particularly for young people, however the cyber world can unfortunately also be a dangerous place for children and young people. It is a place where they may be easily preyed upon by adults, such as you, who seek to manipulate them and exploit them for their own sexual gratification.” Judge Hassan said the gravity of Mr Gristci’s “persistent and predatory” offending wasn’t lessened due to the fact there had been no actual victim or presumed harm done to a child. The offender wrote to the court stating: “I’m ashamed and embarrassed by what happened and I can assure you this will never happen again”. The court heard Mr Gristci had no prior convictions, showed genuine remorse, engaged in counselling and had the support of his partner and family. Judge Hassan said he had excellent prospects of rehabilitation and sentenced him to 20 months imprisonment.
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Visitors away, animals play Creatures big and small have been enjoying some quiet time at the Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens. From spotted pardalotes, one of Australia’s smallest birds, to short-beaked echidnas and plenty of other species, conservation officer Ollie Sherlock has confirmed there’s a buzz of activity behind the scenes. Staff have been delighted to enjoy rare sightings of common wombats, koalas, and southern brown bandicoots tentatively venturing out of their comfort zones, while black ducks and wood ducks have been building nests and incubating eggs. Large flocks of yellow-tailed black cockatoos have been spotted tearing apart the timber on some of the older black wattles. They use their powerful beaks to tear apart the timber in search of wood-boring grubs, which are a favoured source of protein during the winter months when seed is less available. “Without visitors around, they have been spotted low to the ground with the opportunity to observe them up nice and close,” Mr Sherlock said. Masked lapwings, a large ground-dwelling bird, have also been observed with cute little chicks in the Australian Garden and Southern Grasslands. “The birds can get quite stressed when they have young around ... with the site closed they have had a much more relaxed time raising the young this year.“ One of the most exciting sightings, Mr Sherlock said, has been a lone male glossy black cockatoo - which is a “real rarity in this area” as it is listed as endangered at a federal level and vulnerable in Victoria. “There is some speculation that this bird may have been displaced from either Kangaroo Island or East Gippsland by the catastrophic fires we had earlier in the year.”
Short-beaked echidnas have been observed seeking out ant nests, digging them up with their powerful claws.
Large flocks of yellow-tailed black cockatoos have been spotted tearing apart the timber on some of the older black wattles.
Cranbourne Gardens conservation officer Ollie Sherlock has been keeping a close eye on wildlife during the lockdown.
Koaloas venture out in the quiet space.
Staff have been delighted to enjoy sightings of common wombats.
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After three premierships in four years, Berwick are enjoying their most successful era. 185297 Picture: ROB CAREW
After three premierships in four years, Berwick are enjoying their most successful era. 185297 Picture: ROB CAREW
By Nick Creely Berwick's intensity from the opening bounce until the final siren simply can't be matched. Their premiership victory against Narre Warren on Saturday - giving the club back-toback flags for just the second time in club history - was intense, finals footy laced with the right amount of class. After a third premiership in four years, the word 'dynasty' is deservingly being bandied around, and for good reason.
The club has a stranglehold over the southeast region - they're relentless, driven by success and are always chasing their next challenge. It's the cornerstone of all successful sporting clubs. While the weather may have been arctic in their 51-point win over Narre Warren, the Wickers put in a magical performance befitting of a champion team in the midst of a golden era. From the superstar Travis Tuck, who came to the club with a high expectation that has
now culminated with a best on ground medal in a grand final, to their champion skipper Madi Andrews, dynamic forward Harry Money, gun midfielder Bryce Rutherford and reliable defenders Jo West and Michael Riseley, the Wickers possess remarkable star power. "We pride ourselves on our relentless approach," Berwick coach Stewart Kemperman said in the aftermath of another premiership win. And as for Kemperman, he couldn't have a dreamt of a start to his senior coaching career
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Affordable housing push Cupcake challenge is a paw-fect fundraiser By Brendan Rees It’s little surprise that being able to take the cake and eat it has sent Oscar’s tail wagging. RSPCA Victoria is encouraging animal lovers to put their isolation baking skills to the test in October to raise money for furry friends in need. Cupcake Day will officially be held on 26 October however participants can host their own celebration any time that suits them. Ahead of the fundraiser, Star News photographer Stewart Chambers captured Oscar the pooch indulging in the pawfect treat at RSPCA’S Peninsula shelter in Pearcedale.
“No doubt it will look a little different for Victorians this year, with many of us working or studying from home and spending less time with friends or family than usual,” RSPCA’s Victoria CEO Dr Liz Walker said. “But for many of us, this has meant more time in the kitchen, baking up a storm to beat the isolation blues.“ Those who aren’t inclined to bake, but love food may prefer to host an online foodthemed quiz,. Everyone who registers for RSPCA’s Cupcake Day receives online access to all the resources needed to host a virtual baking event. To register, visit www.rspcacupcakeday. com.au.
Casey Council will partner with other levels of government and community groups to address the city’s shortfall of affordable housing which is estimated to climb to 10,000 dwellings by 2041. It comes as council will exhibit its four-year draft affordable housing strategy to the public that articulates council’s vision of all residents having access to secure, appropriate, and affordable housing, with the public invited to provide feedback. Casey Council chair of administrators Noelene Duff said by residents having their say on the strategy they could inform an “important strategic council document that will help determine the future of your fellow residents”. In 2019, council undertook extensive consultation with residents and industry stakeholders, to get their ideas and feedback, which would help shape the current draft strategy that was endorsed at a council’s 1 September meeting. Ms Duff said in Casey, research into the current and forecast need for affordable housing had demonstrated an existing shortfall of more than 5500 affordable housing dwellings. “Without changes to the existing shortfall, this forecast can increase to a shortage of more than 10,000 affordable housing dwellings by 2041. In addition to affordable housing, it is estimated that by 2041, some 4,800 emergency accommodation places will be required,” she said. This is a result of rapidly growing population, housing prices, expenses and rents increasing faster than wages, stagnating social housing supply, and insufficient investment
A new estates being built in Cranbourne. Picture: GARY SISSONS into affordable housing over many years. Ms Duff added council was committed to partnering with other levels of government and community service groups to advocate for the community and to help address the shortage in Casey, as well as the issue of homelessness. “While the extent of council’s power is limited within this space, we are committed to understanding the needs of our community and working with partner organisations, to assist with the provision of affordable housing in Casey through a range of measures,” she said. The draft affordable housing strategy, which was funded through the Social Housing Investment Planning grant, will be exhibited on council’s online engagement portal, Casey Conversations. The draft strategy will go on public exhibition for six weeks from Monday 14 September.
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Heartbroken by cat loss By Brendan Rees A Hampton Park pensioner has been left distraught after her beloved cat died, six days after it went missing. Gwyneth Van Dort was inconsolable after her furry friend, who was about 12, was found lifeless among clothes in her garage as her landlord was cleaning up on Friday 4 September. “I’m really devastated. She’s so loving and adorable and affectionate. She’s like my baby,” she said of her tortoiseshell cat. “It is killing me inside. She was so close to me ... I could’ve rescued her.” Ms Van Dort, 76, said she had searched everywhere around her property, including the garage which she shares with her landlord in storing belongings. “I went through the side of the garage, the back, but I didn’t go in the middle section,” she said. “No one was around to open the door for her ... I’m really beside myself. I would’ve been able to rescue her. “She was amongst my clothes. You can’t even reach up where she was; she must’ve been very distressed. “I’m really angry with myself.” Ms Van Dort had taken her cat named Princess to the vet about a week earlier after discovering swelling to her stomach.
A photo of Princess before she went missing.
Gwyneth Van Dort is devastated after her cat died. 214806 “She was getting well really quickly. Every four hours I had to give her the nutrients,” she said after Princess fought a recent battle with intestinal tumour.
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
She said Princess went missing after last seeing her enjoying the sun in her driveway. But when she didn’t return days later, Ms Van Dort began to fear the worst, saying it was com-
pletely out of character for her to wander off. When she heard the tragic news, she was heartbroken: “She’s my four-legged special friend. I miss her so much.” To make matters worse Ms Van Dort, a retired nurse, said she was lonely and isolated without Princess. Her belongings have also been stuck in storage for several years, and she is desperate to move out of her share home and find another place. She described Princess as “the most beautiful cat on this earth” and “the only thing that I had”.
New Clyde Grammar school is taking shape By Brendan Rees The first look at the new Clyde Grammar P-12 school has been unveiled. The school is planned to open at Mirvac’s Smiths Lane estate in Clyde North in 2022 with new designs of the future building being revealed. Construction set to start in 2021 and the school will see foundation, year 1 and year 2 students expected to start in February 2022. Other year levels will grow consecutively with the intake of new foundation students each calendar year. The school will open with the completion of stage one, a two-storey primary centre, which will include 14 primary classrooms, seven studio/breakout learning areas, a common collaborative learning area, library, student amenities, disabled toilets, sick bay, staff offices and reception area and outdoor learning and play areas. The initial intake of two classes of preparatory students in 2020 are temporarily located at CSV Limited’s Casey Grammar School. Mirvac has partnered with CSV Limited who owns the existing Casey Grammar School in Cranbourne East - to deliver the project. Clyde Grammar currently has limited places available for year 1 enrolments for 2021, with only 52 students allocated to each year level.
An arial view of the proposed Smiths Lane estate in Clyde North where the new school will be built.
An artist’s impression of the new Clyde Grammar. Clyde Grammar principal Leanne Evans said the school - which is anticipated to grow to up to 1200 students when fully enrolled and create around 120 full-time jobs - said it was “exciting to see our vision for Clyde Grammar come to fruition.” “We’re pleased to share a preview of the
planned school design with our future students and Smiths Lane community,” she said. “In the current environment, it’s great to be able to look forward to what is to come in 2022 and take the community on this journey with us, especially the students currently enrolled at Clyde Grammar.”
Mirvac residential general manager Elysa Anderson said: “The new school reflects Mirvac’s commitment to provide a quality, independent education that is affordable and accessible to Smiths Lane residents and the broader south-east community and we are excited to see it taking shape.” Construction of the 200-hectare estate is underway, which will be home to around 6500 residents across about 2100 homes.
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Reward healthcare heroes By Mitchell Clarke Frontline healthcare heroes at Casey Hospital are calling for an annual 4.5 percent pay rise, as they continue to work around the clock to respond to the Covid-19 crisis. The Health Workers Union is currently negotiating the Victorian Public Hospital Agreement, which is set to expire on 1 October, and will set the pay and conditions for over 55,000 Victorian public hospital workers. The State Government public sector wages policy caps annual wage increases at two percent, but Health Workers Union secretary Diana Asmar wants hardworking hospital employees to secure an 18 percent pay rise over four years. She said it was a double standard for politicians to receive a pay increase in excess of two percent. “The strong feedback I’ve received from workers at south east hospitals is that they will not accept a two percent pay rise,” Ms Asmar said. “Local public hospital workers, whether it’s Casey Hospital or Dandenong Hospital, are the heroes on the frontline during this Covid pandemic. “They resent being called ‘heroes’ by politicians when their pay doesn’t match their importance to the community.” The Agreement covers nearly 90 percent of public hospital workers including cooks, chefs, patient service assistants, laundry workers, security officers, cleaners, ward clerks and receptionists. “Without these workers, our public hospital system comes to a grinding halt,” Ms Asmar said.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos at Casey Hospital earlier this year. “They have the respect of our community and we want to see them rewarded properly for the important work they do.” According to the Health Workers Union, a
cleaner in a public hospital often earns less than $24. “They are doing God’s work,” Ms Asmar said. “The community is relying on them to keep
us safe and our hospitals free of Covid-19. They deserve a decent income but they are currently being offered peanuts by the Victorian Government.”
Media at table, so tech giants must talk Recent threats and disingenuous claims by global tech giants Google and Facebook provide a stark and compelling reminder of why government intervention is necessary to force these two global behemoths to the table to negotiate with news media businesses; the subject of their current posturing, Country Press Australia president, Bruce Ellen said. Mr Ellen said the negotiating framework outlined in the ACCC’s Mandatory Code exposure draft proposes, like any sensible commercial business arrangement where parties have equal bargaining power, appropriate recognition and recompense is exchanged for the costs incurred by one party in producing a product, then used by another for commercial benefit. “But of course, the power imbalance between two of the most powerful businesses ever seen, and news media businesses, particularly small independent publishers, is immense,” he said. “The core of this matter is that the significant cost of producing independent and
objective news and journalism by news media businesses vital to our democracy, is being used by the global tech giants to drive increased audiences and engagement, and build trust in their platforms, providing them with both a direct and indirect commercial benefit. “This is primarily in the form of paid advertising on the tech giants’ various platforms that is leveraged by the size and engagement of their audience, all contributed to by the content taken from news media businesses. “The fact that this commercial benefit to the tech giants, has been at the expense of advertising revenue that previously supported the provision of public interest journalism in news media businesses, massively compounds the challenges facing our democracy in sustaining independent and objective reporting, analysis and investigation. “ Mr Ellen said this concern was particularly acute for regional, rural and small publishers, where the economies of scale available to large corporate media conglom-
erates do not exist. He said the recent closures of regional newspapers and local broadcasting newsrooms highlighted the challenges. “Regional and rural communities should not be excluded from this vital part of our democracy, that holds those in power to account, and sheds a light on injustices in those local communities,” he said. “Until the Australian Government leads the world in December 2017, by directing the ACCC to investigate competition in the media and advertising services market, escalating concerns about the future of public interest journalism, were largely being ignored by those outside the industry.” Country Press Australia applauds the Federal Government and ACCC for their determination to bring the global tech giants to the table to address a serious matter that should be of vital concern to all Australians, Mr Ellen said.
CPA president Bruce Ellen.
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Head chef Michael Gawlik (centre) with owners Andrew and Allin Toma. 214981 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Proud menu By Danielle Kutchel
For any queries contact 0410 422 541
HELLENIC SNACKPACKS Seasoned chicken or lamb gyro, slow cooked & served on a bed of seasoned fries, finished with our homemade garlic sauce. Let Yanni know if you’d like to add chili or bbq sauce.
CHICKEN Reg $25 or large (for 2) $38
LAMB SHOULDER Reg $27 or large (for 2) $40
MIXED Reg $25 or large (for 2) $38
THE VEGETARIAN 6 Delicious falafel served with yanni’s hand cut fried lemon and herb potatoes,greek salad, eggplant dip and pita bread
KITCHEN A selection of Yanni’s fancy meals
YANNI’S MEATBALLS Yanni loves his balls! Beef Meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce served with our famous lemon & herb fried Potatoes and a greek salad $25.
OPEN SOUVLAKI (CHICKEN, LAMB SHOULDER OR MIXED) Slow cooked & seasoned meat served with a side of greek salad, Pita bread, garlic sauce and fries. $25
TRAY OF SEASONED CHICKEN GYRO A tray of our Deliciously cut & Seasoned gyro meat Cooked to perfection. Reg $18 lrg $30
GREEK SALAD Fresh lettuce, tomato, Cucumber, onions, olives And feta; finished with our Homemade greek dressing $19.
CHICKEN SHASHLIK Marinated grilled chicken Skewers drizzled with tangy Bbq sauce, side salad and Yanni’s hand cut lemon and Herb fried potatoes. $25
TRAY OF SEASONED LAMB SHOULDER GYRO A tray of our deliciously Cut & seasoned lamb Shoulder gyro meat cooked to perfection. Reg $20 lrg $32
SIDES Yanni highly recommends, the perfect pairings for a Mediteraenean Feast
YANNI’S HAND CUT FRIED POTATOES Lemon & herb, sweet paprika salted or chilli zest salted $12
TIA’S TZATZIKI OR Melitzanosalata dip (Eggplant) Aunties secret recipe $8
FRESH PITA BREAD Only the best $4
YIA YIA’S DOLMADES (6PCS) Rolled grape leaves stuffed with our herb-y rice mix drizzled in olive oil & lemon juice $10
SEASONED CHIPS Mixed herbs seasoned hot chips $12
EXTRAS Tangy bbq sauce, matinia’s chili sauce or house made garlic sauce
There’s a new dining experience on the horizon for residents of Pakenham and surrounds. Lakeside favourite Copper and Fox has a new head chef who is ready to make his mark on the area’s restaurant scene, with a brand new menu that mixes old favourites like parmas and burgers with new twists for brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert. Think Benedict with ham hock terrine, warming ramen, a pumpkin harvest bowl, a vegan burger on a beautiful beetroot bun and a dessert of Campari, grapefruit, ruby chocolate and raspberry. The emphasis is on using seasonal produce (the menu will change every three months to reflect the best the season has to offer) and local suppliers. Each day will host its own specials, like burger night, parma night and date night. Due to Covid-19 restrictions the restaurant is currently only serving takeaway, but that doesn’t mean diners will miss out on the experience of eating in. New head chef Michael Gawlik puts as much care into the takeaway meals as the inhouse meals to recreate the dining-in experience, with every dish that leaves the restaurant looking as good as it would on a plate. “I want it to be visually appealing as well as taste good,” Michael said. Copper and Fox offers Covid-safe delivery for free within a five kilometre radius, with a small charge applying for anything further. Once restrictions ease, Michael has sev-
eral special events lined up: well-known guest chefs from all over Melbourne will be invited to collaborate with him in holding special degustation dinners and events upstairs, including a dessert degustation with matching cocktails. The new chef has an extensive background in the industry. Beginning his hospitality career front-of-house, Michael has been cooking since 2012 and saw out his apprenticeship in the Yarra Valley before heading to Vue De Monde for a while. He gained experienced elsewhere under Emma Jeffrey and Darren Purchese before taking the reins at Zagames Corporation. “I’ve worked with some good people. You gain a bit of everything from everyone, then you make it your own and that’s basically what I’m going to do now in Pakenham,” Michael said. Coming from an Italian background, Michael understands the joy that good food can bring, and hopes his own food will light up the lives of those still in lockdown. “I want to make food people enjoy and want to come back for,” he explained. “Locals are our bread and butter. People will decide the menu going forward - I’ll see what they like and don’t like and adjust it until it’s right. “I want to make a menu that Pakenham’s proud of.” Visit Copper and Fox at 1/38 Lakeside Blvd, Pakenham or www.copperandfox.com.au. Follow them on Instagram at copperandfox, or follow Michael Gawlik at mikegawlik.
Spare change pays off A pair of Narre Warren mates have turned their spare change into $250,000 after scratching one of the top prizes on a $10 Instant Scratch-Its ticket. Sharing his excitement with an official from the Lott today, one half of the duo revealed the series of events that led them to purchase the winning ticket. “I was so excited when we scratched it! I just didn’t believe it,” he said of his winning $10 ticket that was purchased at Narre Warren Newsagency and Lotto in Webb Street. “My friend and I pool our money every week to buy a Powerball ticket, and whatever is left over at the end, we put towards buying an Instant Scratch-Its ticket. “How much is left over depends if we have won anything on Powerball or the previous tickets. “Usually we buy a $5 ticket because that’s what we have left over. “As we were leaving the shop this time, we realised we had more left over than usual, so I turned back around and bought a $10 ticket. “It’s the first time we’ve bought a $10 ticket, and we won. “We scratched it right there in the store, and we couldn’t believe it. We’ve never won anything like this before. “I had only said to my friend a few weeks
ago ‘You hear about these winners, I wonder if the stories are true’ and now we know they are because we have won!” When asked how he planned to share his half of the instant windfall, the thrilled winner revealed he was looking forward to being debt-free. “I’ll use my half to pay off some bills and my personal loan,” he declared. “Then I will be debt-free. I’ll use the rest towards saving for a house deposit. “We haven’t been able to do anything to celebrate just yet due to the restrictions, but once we can we’ll go out for a nice meal and a few drinks or something to mark the occasion!” Narre Warren Newsagency and Lotto manager Jennifer Zhu said she was extremely happy for her regular customer. “It was so exciting when they scratched the top prize in store. They started jumping up and down with excitement right here!” she said. “It’s the first top prize we’ve ever sold, so we are absolutely thrilled. “We’ve been telling all of our customers, and they are very excited for us too. It’s great to be able to share the good news at the moment. “We wish our winners all the best with their win!”
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Art inspires memories By Danielle Kutchel It’s been a milestone year for Blind Bight stilllife painter Sam Michelle. 2020 marks the year when she has lived half her life here in Australia, and half in New Zealand. It’s that duality that she’s exploring in a new exhibition at Gallerysmith, titled Dual Citizen. Covid restrictions have made her painting a little more difficult this time around as in some cases she’s been unable to source the flowers that are the inspiration for her work. The resourceful artist has put shout outs in the Blind Bight community group asking for help to gather what she needs, and has been rewarded by people’s support. But she says in a way the restrictions have helped her painting, providing her with “ample time” to pursue her creative outlet. “I’ve had more flow with the painting, which means a better exhibition,” Sam explains. “It’s felt like having extra time and no interruptions - the change of routine has been good for that.” The exhibition considers Sam’s heritage she’s originally from New Zealand - and her life here in Australia, depicted through the iconic flora of the two countries. Unable to travel back home during Covid to gather inspiration and materials for the Kiwibased paintings, Sam says she was forced to be adaptable. A Zoom call was set up with family in the Land of the Long White Cloud and she interviewed her granddad about his life.
“Some of the stories he told are within the New Zealand paintings,” she says. “They’re childhood stories that I think New Zealanders could relate to and are really personal and meaningful to me.” The Australian paintings double as a celebration of local flora. Growing up, Sam was surrounded by creativity: her grandparents on both sides were artists in various mediums, from jewellery making to China-doll painting, illustration and sculpting. Her aunties taught her how to sew and embroider, while her mother works with multimedia. Sam herself is largely self-taught and began her artistic career as a hobby before taking the plunge and going full time six years ago. Now, she often finds herself working on multiple projects depending on what’s happening in the world. She worked on some landscape studies after the East Gippsland bushfires, and travelled to Christchurch shortly after the 2019 mosque attack to complete a series that showed the beautiful parts of the city. Sam hopes that Dual Citizen will “spark a memory” for her Kiwi viewers. She’s received feedback from some through Instagram who have told her how her paintings remind them of moments in their life, even things as simple as walking to school as a child. “I want to help ignite memories and pinpoint a time in their history,” Sam says. The exhibition is currently running online
‘NZ and Australian Natives’ by Sam Michelle.
Sam at work in her studio. at www.gallerysmith.com.au View more of Sam’s work at https://www. instagram.com/sammichellepaintings/?hl=en or https://www.sammichellepaintings.com
‘NZ Cyclamen’ by Sam Michelle. Pictures: SUZI APPEL
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Cleaning up through Covid By Tania Phillips When Monique McLellan and her family opened the brand new Sudzone Laundrette in December last year she didn’t expect to be faced with a pandemic within the first few months of opening. But as a trained nurse, she was nothing if not adaptable. “We put have put our Covid Plan in place which is something that we didn’t have before,” she said. “But because I have that health background as well, from the very start we’ve prided ourselves on a level of cleanliness. We clean a couple of times a day. These sorts of things are things that we have to make sure we are really strict about. “We have also put our Covid plan place even though we don’t really need to due to the size: whilst it’s just myself, my husband and the children that are really cleaning and running the launderette - we have done it. We’ve worked out how many people could come in, we’ve made sure there are hand sanitisers available. We’ve put up signs just reminding people of the need to wear masks and social distancing.” She said the operating hours have changed with the business opening at 6am and closing at 8pm though the automatic doors still operate through to the usual 11pm for emergency workers needing the service after the lockdown time. “I don’t think we’ve changed a lot because hygiene has always been an important factor for us,” Monique explained. “We were identified as an essential service because a lot of people don’t have washing machines, dryers - all of those sorts of things. We
have identified the best methods to wash during the pandemic - wash at higher temperatures and dry thoroughly.” She said there was plenty of information on the website to help people out during this time. The McLellan’s had been looking to start a business for the past five years that the family could run together but not have to be there all the time and as they lived in Berwick they recognized a need for a new launderette. Sudzone have the latest Quantum technology by Speed Queen - first laundrette in Australia to receive and install these machines, which take large loads and have specialty cycles suitable for doonas to delicates. No cash? Their kiosk payment system accepts credit card and mobile payments such as Apple, Google Pay and PayPal. Machines also take $1 and $2 coins (though there is no coin changer onsite). Find Sudzone Laundrette at 16 Adams Lane, Berwick or visit www.sudzone.com.au
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We will keep you updated as to when we are back to business as normal. REMEMBRANCE POPPIES WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ONLINE IN NOVEMBER Supported by the City of Casey
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STAR NEWS 17
NEWS
Men’s Shed goes virtual Its new home may not quite be open but Endeavour Hills Mens Shed is keeping men in “virtual” conversation. In weekly online meetings, the Mens Shed brings together ‘blokes’ to chat about DIY projects, hobbies and what’s going on in their lives. It’s part of the Mens Shed’s “ramped-up” response to the social and economic damage from Covid-19, president Trevor Ratcliffe said. “While we have been in lockdown our members have been meeting on-line and the need to extend what we have enjoyed to others in increasing numbers. “So, for blokes who want to meet new people, share some stories, talk about the things which interest you and escape from the isolation we are waiting for you.” The Mens Shed’s long-awaited new home in Sydney Pargeter Reserve is nearing completion. When open, the shed would teach basic DIY skills for people “displaced” due being out of work, Mr Ratcliffe says. “The aim is to provide a practical ‘appreciation’ of DIY skills so that more of us can tackle our own home maintenance or acquire basic knowledge and skills which might attract employment. “Rather than leading to a certificate this is about building resilience in ourselves, improving our circumstances and strengthening our community in difficult times.” Mr Ratcliffe said initially there would be woodwork and metalwork streams. Further courses may include electronics/ computers, mechanics and vegetable growing, household budgeting as well as health and wellbeing activities and community projects. Suitably qualified volunteers are being sought to oversee the sessions. “What we are planning to do may not be consistent with community perceptions about what a Men’s Shed is or should look like,” Mr Ratcliffe said.
Endeavour Hills Mens Shed invites all men to join its online meetings.
Endeavour Hills Mens Shed members in a pre-Covid meeting. “But our vision has never been about perceptions. “Our vision has always been about men’s
The new site in Syd Pargeter Reserve.
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To join in the online chats or find out more about the new building, contact the group’s secretary Paul Morris on 0418 313 395.
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STAR NEWS 19
FOCUS ON … TAX TIME
ATO on fraud To protect family and friends, the ATO has released five simple ways to avoid identity crimes.
Five ways to avoid scams ties. If someone is sharing too much personal information online, remind them that they could be putting themselves at risk of targeted attacks. It’s also a good idea to make sure profiles are set to private, and to be cautious about which friend requests to accept. Be suspicious of requests for personal information If family and friends have received a request for their personal information; tell them to treat the request with caution. Scammers can be believable and will sometimes quote personal information to sound authentic, so if someone is asking for personal information, consider the possibility that it may be a scam. To check if a call, email, SMS is from the ATO call them on 1800 008 540 to confirm. Know legitimate ways to make payments Scammers may use threatening tactics to trick their victims into paying false debts in pre-paid gift cards or by sending money to non-ATO bank accounts. To check that a payment method is legitimate, visit ato.gov. au/howtopay
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The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is warning taxpayers to be on high alert for tax-related scams. To protect family and friends, the ATO has released five simple ways to avoid identity crimes. Know what to protect Personal information that could be used by scammers to impersonate someone can include their full name, date of birth, current address, bank account numbers, credit card details, tax file number, drivers licence or passport details, and any passwords. Remind them to keep their personal information safe and secure If personal information is stolen it can be very difficult to get back. It’s best to store things like a tax file number or birth certificate somewhere safe and secure - don’t carry it around in a wallet or handbag or saved on a phone. Keep passwords in a safe place and keep virus protection current. Warn them if they share too much on social media Scammers can use information published on social networking sites to steal identi-
Phone: (03) 9769 3380 www.rjsanderson.com.au
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is building on its significant efforts zeroing in on fraud and schemes designed to take advantage of the government’s Covid-19 stimulus package. This includes JobKeeper, early release of superannuation, and boosting cash flow for employers. ATO Deputy Commissioner Will Day said that with so many Australians impacted by Covid-19, the ATO’s priority is to ensure payments get to those who need them. To ensure the integrity of the tax and superannuation systems, the ATO has access to a large number of data sources that it uses to assess the risk of inappropriate behaviour. These sources include Single Touch Payroll, income tax returns, and information reported to us by super funds, as well as data from various thirdparty sources. The community also offers the ATO valuable information where there may be suspected wrongdoing. “We’ve established a confidential tip-off line and we take all information referred to us seriously. If members of the community are concerned that someone is doing the wrong thing, they should tell us about it by completing a tip-off form online at ato.gov.au/tipoff or by calling 1800 060 062,” Mr Day said. The ATO has also made it clear it will not tolerate illegal behaviour or development of schemes that are designed to deliberately exploit these measures, seek to avoid tax, or prey on vulnerable Australians. The agency has already seen some examples of fraud and fraudulent attempts or people developing schemes to try to steal money from the community. “We’ve received intelligence about a number of dodgy schemes, including the withdrawal of money from superannuation and re-contributing it to get a tax deduction. Not only is this not in the spirit of the measure (which is designed to assist those experiencing hardship), severe penalties can be applied to tax avoidance schemes or those found to be breaking the law. If someone recommends something like this that seems too good to be true, well, it probably is,” Mr Day said. Penalties for fraud can include financial penalties, prosecution, and imprisonment for the most serious cases. “It’s important to carefully check eligibility requirements before applying for any of the measures. Eligibility requirements for each of the measures are outlined on the ATO’s website. If you’re not sure, the best thing to do is check with the ATO or your tax professional. “Our tax system works on a self-assessment model. We will generally operate on the basis Australians are honest, meaning we will accept the information we are provided with as true and correct and make payments. However, we will be conducting checks later, so if you’ve received a benefit as part of the Covid-19 stimulus measures and we discover you are ineligible, you can expect to hear from us. If you think this may apply to you, you should contact us or speak to your tax professional,” Mr Day said.
“It is much better to come forward to make a voluntary disclosure than waiting to be audited. If in doubt on how to proceed, we recommend seeking the advice of a tax professional.” Mr Day also reminded the community to protect their identities and be vigilant of scammers at this time. “If you receive a text message or e-mail stating that your myGov details have been changed, or that you have applied for early release of super and you have not, don’t ignore these messages: check your myGov, call the ATO or your super fund to make sure your identity has not been compromised. But don’t click on any links – one technique used by scammers to steal your information is to mock-up messages which appear to be from the ATO.” What’s on the ATO’s radar? JobKeeper The ATO’s compliance efforts for JobKeeper are focused on ensuring that: entities meet the eligibility requirements in relation to business income entities are claiming for eligible employees eligible business participants are correctly making claims entities are not manipulating their turnover in order to satisfy the decline in turnover test The ATO has also published advice warning of the types of JobKeeper schemes that it regards as high-risk and are likely to attract its attention. Early Release Of Superannuation Behaviours that attract the ATO’s attention in relation to the early release of superannuation measure include: applying when there is no change to your regular salary, wage, or employment information artificially arranging your affairs to meet the eligibility criteria making false statements or fraudulent attempts to meet the eligibility criteria withdrawing and re-contributing super for a tax advantage – this could not only trigger anti-avoidance rules but also result in additional taxes and impact your eligibility for a super co-contribution. Boosting cash flow for employers The ATO is on the lookout for employers who have entered a scheme which is designed to: artificially restructure businesses to gain access to the cash flow boost artificially changing the character of payments to salary or wages to maximise the cash flow boost inflating reported withholding amounts to maximise the cash flow boost resurrecting dormant entities or phoenixing making false statements or fraudulent attempts to create an entitlement. Serious Financial Crime Taskforce (SFCT)
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NEWS
Sport grants up for grabs By Brendan Rees It’s been a tough year for community sports but the State Government is ramping up its support by offering grants of up $2000. Narre Warren South MP Gary Maas announced applications had open for associations and leagues to apply for up to $2000 and $1000 for clubs through its Community Sport Sector Covid-19 Survival Package. State sporting associations and sporting bodies are also able to apply for grants to support their operational viability. Also, clubs that received a $1000 boost in the first round can expect a $500 top up, and leagues and associations funded in the first round can expect a $1000 top up, within the next two weeks. The first round of funding rolled out more than 5000 of the $1000 grants to support individual clubs, with 200 leagues and associations securing a share in $1.4 million as well as almost 70 state sporting associations, regional
academies and sport bodies scoring more than $12.7 million through the program. Successful recipients in Narre Warren South included Berwick Springs Cricket Club, Berwick Springs Football Netball Club, Hampton Park Bowls Club, Hampton Park Tennis Club, Hampton Park Basketball Association, Hampton Park United Sparrows Football Club, and Narre South Cricket Club. “We’re all looking forward to when local sports can safely return. It will be a real boost to our area and I hope this funding helps these clubs get through this difficult time,” Mr Maas said. Round one applications close on 21 September and round two applications close on 16 October. To apply, visit https://sport.vic.gov.au/ grants-and-funding
Narre Warren South MP Gary Maas is encouraging sports clubs and associations to apply for grants. He is pictured with a local sports group before the Covid-19 crisis.
The big Casey campout
A free camping event will be held online.
Test your knowledge in the trivia quiz, keep the kids busy with a scavenger hunt, and show off your talent in the camp sing-along. See who can create the most creative and original facemask, chill out to some entertaining storytelling and upload pictures of your sweet camp set-up. The event will run from 6pm to 9pm. To register your household, please email communitystrengthening@casey.vic.gov.au and be sure to RSVP via City of Casey’s Facebook event page.
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It’s time to camp out in the stars while travelling no further than your backyard as Casey Council gets set to hold its first ever digital Casey Camp Out. Council is encouraging households to get together and set up camp in their backyard or lounge room and join other residents online for laughs, music, creativity and competitions when the free event takes place on Friday 18 September. There will be plenty of activities on offer and many prizes up for grabs during the three-hour session.
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STAR NEWS 21
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Penny is still striving By Nick Creely Despite all of her momentous achievements in the world of race-walking, champion local athlete Penny Hall still has so many more records to break and gold medals to have draped around her neck. With 86 medals next to her name across a glittering career, including a whopping 50 gold which has seen her travel all around the globe to compete, including to the USA, Europe and many more destinations around the world, the next challenge is always around the corner. Penny turned 80 on Sunday in what was a memorable birthday celebration, albeit in much different circumstances, with her incredible life and achievements something her family is tremendously proud of. Incredibly, Penny still trains seven days a week, and frighteningly, there’s absolutely no stopping her when racing, and sport in general finally gets going again. It’s almost a guarantee that Penny will pick up exactly where she left off. “It’s given her a bit of an incentive now, she now moves on to a new age group, 80 to 85, and if she stays relatively injury-free she’ll be breaking more age-group records,” Penny’s proud husband Mike said.
Penny on her 80th birthday on Sunday. Penny’s story is quite remarkable and inspirational, and her resilience and passion for everything she does is something to marvel at. Penny and Mike migrated to Australia in 1966 with three kids at the time, and when she arrived in Australia she joined the Dandenong Hockey Club for five years, and as Mike de-
scribes eventually started running “out of the blue”. She was a more than a pack a day smoker and for many years suffered from chronic asthma and endured bouts of pneumonia. But exercise was the answer. She gave up smoking in 1983, and forged a new path one that would make her eventually go on to achieve so many remarkable feats and take her to so many places around the globe. In 1985, Penny competed in the Melbourne Marathon, and then eventually she decided to take up race-walking, and did race-walking masters for 25 years, and in that time in world, nationals and state championships she accumulated her array of medals and records. She also knuckled down and had tremendous results at the World Games in Melbourne in 1987, and became a world champion that very same year. Proving age, and anything defied her, Penny also became the oldest competitor in the 2004 National Penny Farthing Championships held in Tasmania - a race with the penny farthing, the first machine to be called a bicycle. One thing is certain, despite everything Penny has achieved, there will be plenty more records and medals just around the corner.
Penny has accumulated a vast array of medals and records all over the world. Pictures: SUPPLIED
The Titans look to put the year 2020 behind them By Nick Creely While there remains overwhelming disappointment about what could have been in the first season of senior football for Berwick Springs in the AFL Outer East, for coach Rodney Benstead, the only way to move is forward. Season 2020 was meant to be the inaugural season for the region’s newest senior club in Division 1 of the Outer East competition, but instead as all clubs and sports have endured this year, things just haven’t fallen into place as communities long for a return to suburban and country grounds. Benstead, a renowned coach, was appointed as senior coach for the inaugural season and had begun to build an exciting list of footballers, and said that while it’s been a difficult time for community sport, the Titans just simply can’t wait to put the year behind them and finally kick off life as a senior club. “You can connect through technology, but it really isn’t the same - so to be honest, it’s been really difficult,” he told the Star News. “We were so excited about our first year, we got one practice match in, and we did manage to restart training again. “We actually had good numbers on the track and the players are super keen. “But on the flipside we’ll have a new facility next year, so there’s plenty of positives - we got thrown around a little bit in pre-season, and at this level you do need a home base, and a ground to train at, so we’re very excited for that.” Benstead said that the club expected to retain the majority of its inaugural senior football list as they once again prepare for Division 1, but wanted to continue bolstering its stocks while also firmly keeping its eyes fixed on developing youth. “I’m one of those people that will always go out again and be really aggressive, and there’s going to be a salary cap that’ll be reduced and that, so it’ll make recruiting hard,” he said.
“But we want to get young talent in, so we need to provide a coaching program that is elite. “I’m trying to get all of our coaching staff together and develop ideas in the style we want to play, and just make it a really good place to be. “I’m positive about that - we have some players we’re speaking to at the moment, but we’ve lost one of our key players, Cam Carmody, he went back to Western Australia for family reasons, but we’ve kept most of the players which is great. “We’re all excited about next year.” In 2019, the Titans entered an Under 18 side in the Outer East Premier DIvision, performing admirably to bank six wins and further developing kids that are expected to push hard for senior selection in the opening
round of the 2021 season. On the club’s booming junior football program, Benstead said from early indications there is expected to be a steady influx of juniors playing football in 2021. “We want to introduce young talent, and we’re focusing on developing our juniors so we’ll get more through the door next year which is exciting,” he said. “From the information I’ve got, kids are more excited than ever to get out there. There will be challenges for pre-season, conditioning, missing a year, but I think everyone’s in the same boat. “We know there will be challenges, but the kids are missing footy, they just want to get back into it.” The anticipation of Division 1 football, which will see the club venture to different
grounds whether in the Valley or south-east, is building by the day, but not just on-field, and Benstead said that they are eager to once again connect with the football community. “I can only go on the feedback, these clubs make you all feel really welcome, and you can get great grounds, facilities and it’s all a bit of old school footy,” he said. “You go into the rooms after the game and they put on a ripper spread, that’s what football is about, community and connecting, so we can’t wait to play in the Outer East competition. “To get to go to some different places to play footy is exciting for the club. We can’t wait to put our best foot forward. “Sport is a place to go, a place to catch-up, and that’s what we want to be, a community hub that develops local talent and works with the local community.”
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This star Flyer signs on Another piece of the puzzle is in place for the Southside Flyers. Leilani Mitchell, the winner of the inaugural Flyers MVP trophy, has confirmed she will be part of their campaign for the 2020/21 WNBL season, adding to the excitement for Flyers fans for the upcoming season. Selected in the WNBL All-Star team after a terrific season with the Flyers, where she led the league’s best offence with her superb playmaking at point guard. Mitchell averaged 15.7 points and 5.2 assists while also shooting 42 per cent from beyond the arc. Currently playing for the Washington Mystics in the WNBA, which is being played in a bubble in Florida (and leading the team in assists), Mitchell said she was looking forward to returning to the Flyers team for the 2020-21 season. “I’m beyond excited to continue playing for the Southside Flyers. I was honored to be a part of the Flyers inaugural season and can’t wait to get back with the girls and continue our quest for the championship,” she said. “I know that we will all return hungry and willing to work hard, build on our team chemistry, and have fun! It’s a wonderful organization that truly cares for the players. It goes beyond basketball. The management, coaches, teammates, and fans make the Southside Flyers the best organization to be a part of.” Flyers coach Cheryl Chambers said that she is thrilled that Mitchell will be back with the Flyers for the upcoming season. “It’s awesome Lei is back for the Flyers. She makes other players better, her IQ is off the charts, she’s a professional and along with that, she is a great person,” she said. “Lei has an uncanny knack of finding a score under pressure, she can shoot the 3, she can get to the basket and she can also find an open teammate when she needs to. It is fair
to say I’m ecstatic she’s back playing for our team.” Mitchell has had a wonderful career that has included a successful college career in the USA and 11 seasons in the WNBA, as well as impressive stints in France and Croatia. In her final year at College, at the University of Utah, she was named the Conference Player of the Year and was then selected 25th overall in the 2008 WNBA Draft. Adding to her list of achievements was being inducted into the University of Utah Hall of Fame, an honour she is very proud of. Her WNBA career started with New York Liberty in (2010-2014), Phoenix Mercury (2014-15 and 2017-19) and Washington Mystics (2016), where she has returned for the current season. A two-time WNBA Most Improved Player (2019, 2010), Mitchell is the only player in WNBA and NBA history to ever win the award in more than one season. Born in the USA, she grew up in Washington State in the Pacific North West of the United States and her first season in Australia was in the 2013/14 WNBL season with the Dandenong Rangers. As well as last season with the Flyers, her WNBL career includes seasons with Sydney, Adelaide and Canberra. Mitchell has been a regular member of the Australian national team, the ‘Opals’, since 2014, when the team won a bronze medal in the 2014 World Championships, and she was a member of the 2016 Olympic team in Brazil. Unfortunately, injury kept her out of the Opals team for the 2018 FIBA World Cup. Earlier this year she was selected in the 2020 Opals squad in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Leilani Mitchell is back and raring to go for the Southside Flyers.
Picture: SUPPLIED
Player points cap is set By Nick Creely Key outcomes have been achieved in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League (MPNFL), with AFL South East confirming the base Total Player Points (TPP) cap for the 2021 season will be 42 points. MPNFL club presidents met on 2 September to discuss and resolve their position on the TPP for 2021, following a recommendation from the AFL South East advisory board that a TPP cap of 45 points should be set across both divisions of the competition. With the maximum TPP cap allowable by AFL Victoria set at 47 points, MPNFL clubs worked to a base cap of 40 points in 2019/20. After club feedback to the recommendation, half of the clubs agreed to raise the TPP base cap to 45 points, with others wishing to keep it at 40. However a majority position has been reached to implement a base TPP cap of 42 points from next season. “It was very pleasing to see the group work together in such a constructive fash-
ion, acknowledging the position of others and ultimately coming to a considered final position, to be reviewed ahead of 2022,” said MPNFL football operations manager Haydn Parsons. The final position was based upon club concerns surrounding a restriction on junior development if the cap was too high, while also taking into consideration clubs who felt detrimentally impacted by the higher points caps in neighbouring leagues, particularly towards the northern end of the MPNFL. MPNFL clubs also expressed a strong motivation to implement a ‘season of service’ reduction to the player-point grading of players who remained registered at their clubs during the Covid-19 crisis. “It was quite evident that there was a strong will to reward those players who had put in the hard yards during the pre-season and remained loyal to their clubs, but ultimately - through no fault of their own missed out on a season of football,” Parsons said.
QUIZ NUMBER 1730 1.
WHO scored the most runs in cricket’s 2015 World Cup?
2.
TO which famous Australian athlete did Czech Emil Zatopek give one of his gold medals?
3.
WHICH golfer has won the most major world titles?
4.
WHAT was the host country for the 2006 World Cup soccer finals?
5.
WHICH two famous pacers hailed from the NSW country town of Temora?
6.
WHAT is the traditional venue for the United States Open tennis titles?
7.
WHICH country boasts hurling as its national sport?
8.
WHICH well known international yacht race is held in British waters?
9.
WHO took the most wickets in the Ashes cricket series in 2017-18?
10. IN which sport did Malcolm Milne become Australia’s first international champion? 11. WHERE was Phar Lap placed in his only race in America? 12. WHICH two English soccer clubs play annually in the Merseyside local derby? 13. WHAT question is asked as a tennis racquet is spun to decide who serves before a match? 14. WHICH British import won the 1986 Sydney Cup? 15. WHO is the only Australian golfer to win the British Amateur title? 16. WHICH male swimmer collected the most medals by an Australian at a single Olympics prior to Ian Thorpe? 17. WHICH sport uses the terms ‘glass back’, ‘foot fault’ and ‘boast’? 18. WHICH NSW and former Test batsman faced the first ball for the breakaway World Series Cricket? 12460088-SN37-20
19. AFTER how many games in a tennis set is a tie break introduced? 20. WHAT sport is played by the Sydney Kings?
berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au
ANSWERS: 1. Martin Guptill 2. Ron Clarke 3. Jack Nicklaus 4. Germany 5. Paleface Adios and Just Too Good 6. Flushing Meadow 7. Ireland 8. The Admiral’s Cup 9. Pat Cummins 10. Snow skiing 11. First 12. Liverpool and Everton 13. ‘Rough or Smooth’ 14. Marooned 15. Doug Bachli 16. Mike Wenden 17. Squash 18. Rick McCosker 19. Twelve 20. Basketball
MPNFL clubs have agreed to a TPP cap of 42 points for 2021. 195322 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Thursday, 10 September, 2020
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STAR NEWS 25
SPORT
Clubs set to go it alone? By sports editor Russell Bennett A number of West Gippsland’s footy and netball clubs aren’t bluffing when it comes to exploring their own collective path forwards from 2021 onwards. And they may yet choose to go it alone - out from under the Morwell-based Gippsland Regional Administration Centre. The Star News understands that, on 15 June through Consumer Affairs Victoria, the business name ‘West Gippsland Football Netball Competition Incorporated’ was registered on their behalf, with three current WGFNC club presidents nominated as executive officers. That raises the fascinating prospect that the West Gippsland entity wasn’t already registered since its first season in 2017. To this point, it’s unclear as to how or why. But, it’s an intriguing development that shows a number of the WGFNC’s clubs really are taking their destinies into their own hands. Nar Nar Goon’s Mick Keane is one of three club presidents connected to the newly-registered name as executive officers, and a constitution has already been legally prepared and lodged to Consumer Affairs. The affiliation agreements of some local leagues and competitions are due to expire at the end of October this year, and the new development raises the question of which body legally controls the WGFNC. The deadline for club transfer applications is on 31 October, and the Star News under-
Three current WGFNC club presidents are listed as directors for West Gippsland Football Netball Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS Competition Incorporated. 198697 stands that the WGFNC clubs have been issued three options moving forward: continue with the status quo for 2021 and beyond; continue in the current structure but have some administration fees offset by a player levy; or incorporate as part of a new entity. That entity could then seek affiliation with AFL Gippsland. The clubs and WGFNC are currently regarded as affiliates under the AFL Vic Coun-
try Handbook, but the waters seem muddied by the fact that the WGFNC - itself - is newly registered with three current club presidents as directors. The AFL Gippsland commission was effectively ousted in May 2019, and the AFL’s general counsel and its general manager of AFL game development Andrew Dillon is on the interim commission. In the AFL Gippsland 2019 Annual Report,
the directors of Gippsland Australian Football Commission Limited (AFL Gippsland) were listed as Steven Reaper, Jennifer Loughnan, and Dillon. The Star News understands Reaper is no longer in that role, while Rob Auld and Sam Graham were appointed as directors earlier this year and AFL Victoria’s current head of South Eastern Victoria, Richard Black, is the secretary. In speaking with the Star News, Keane was scathing on AFL Gippsland’s handling of the competition. “This is an organisation that’s trying to tell us we’re better off staying with them - where there’s no real administration, guidance, and no understanding of the clubs’ positions,” he said. “They’re trying to keep us with them without any real structure.” Keane said it’s imperative the clubs control their own futures now, before - he feels - it’s too late. “If we apply in 12 months’ time to get out, they can knock it back, and then it’ll go to appeal to AFL Victoria and that’ll get knocked back too, and then you can’t apply again for two years. “We could still be dealing with this three years from now.” AFL House was forwarded a series of questions on this story but did not comment prior to deadline.
They’re calling on an extension to their VNL licence By Lance Jenkinson The Casey Demons are calling on Netball Victoria to consider an extension to their Victorian Netball League licence. After losing a full VNL season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Demons are calling on the governing body to tack on a year to their five-year licence. In their inaugural season last year, the Demons shook up the competition by reaching the grand final, which they lost to the Geelong Cougars following an impressive finals run that saw them eliminate the North East Blaze and City West Falcons. Demons coach Robynn Pym said it was a “bummer” for her team to not be able to take to the court in 2020 to see if they could go one step better. She is hoping the ‘lost year’ will be added
to the end of the Demons’ five-year term. “We have a five-year licence, so we hope that Netball Victoria see the light there and realise we didn’t have one of those years,” Pym said. “It’s been the longest pre-season that we’ve ever had, but it’s a season that never was, so we’re hoping they do add a year to our franchise. “We’re really looking to grow the community involvement and we’ve been really happy with our supporters, members and sponsors, who have continued with us.” Casey Demons players have formed an online support network during the pandemic lockdown. They are checking in on one another through online Zoom calls. “They’ve connected with each other quite regularly,” Pym said.
“They’re all Casey Demons athletes and they’re all being supported as such.” The pandemic has forced a unique coachto-squad relationship between Pym and the Casey Demons players. With no training sessions allowed, Pym has taken advantage of online technology to run group instruction sessions, keep updated with individuals who are training in isolation, discuss tactics, and run video analysis. While the lost season is frustrating, the Demons’ use of technology will help them going forward. “If anything, for a new franchise like ours, it’s given us other ways of communicating with the players,” Pym said. “It’s not just all about on-court now. “It’s given coaches a new way of communicating.
“It’s tested the character of athletes being able to train in isolation.” When the Casey Demons will return to the court, though, is anyone’s guess. The Demons can only announce their pre-season and trial dates once the VNL season start date is revealed. “With lockdown, there hasn’t been much information,” Pym said. “We’re hoping that by the end of September we’ll know more about re-contracting players for the following year, also when we can start back doing a pre-season and starting trials. “Once the Vixens have finished their [Super Netball] campaign up in Queensland, I can see Netball Victoria come back in and spend some time on what our season is going to look like next year.”
Lloyd is leading the way By Lance Jenkinson Stepping into the head coaching role of the Vic Metro under-18 women’s state basketball team will be seamless for Lloyd Klaman. The Dandenong Rangers NBL1 women’s coach has spent the past three years as the team’s assistant. Klaman was delighted to be announced as the coach for the 2021 program and is looking forward to working with some of the elite upand-coming talent in the state. “It’s a really good honour,” Klaman said. “I’ve been an assistant for three years and working with some good coaches. “I just enjoy getting to work with the best kids in the state.” Klaman takes over the role in a time of uncertainty with the Covid-19 pandemic causing havoc for Victorian sporting organisations. With the metro region under lockdowns in recent months, Klaman has been unable to scout players ahead of state trials. “Usually you’d be looking at the kids playing VJBL right now,” he said. The benefit of Klaman’s appointment is that he already knows most of the players in the system. A large chunk of the Vic Metro team will come from the bottom age under-18s and under-16s from last year. Having not had contact with the players for 26 STAR NEWS
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over six months, Klaman reckons he might be in for a shock next time he sees them. “I’m expecting kids to be a lot taller than last time I saw them,” he said with a laugh. “Usually you go away for Christmas and you come back in February and you think ‘gee, they’ve grown’. “Imagine what they’re going to look like after six months!” Klaman’s one certainty upon return is that the Vic Metro players will be ready for whatever comes their way. When it comes to underage sports people, basketballers in this state are as battle hardened as they come. “I think these kids will bounce back,” Klaman said. “They’re kind of seasoned campaigners. “By the time they get to under-18 top age, most of these kids have played 800 to 1000 games.” Despite the pandemic, Klaman is still fielding phone calls from US college scouts interested in Victorian talent. It is one of the reasons he loves the job so much, getting to play a part in building up the next generation of basketball stars and following their progress. “Australia is a hotbed for female basketball,” he said. “Even the ones I coached four years ago,
Thursday, 10 September, 2020
Lloyd Klaman relishes the chance to work with Vic Metro’s elite talent again in 2021. Picture: COURTESY OF BASKETBALL VICTORIA you keep in contact with the girls and follow their careers. “A lot of them are going to play WNBL when they come back or represent Australia.” Klaman believes the biggest challenge confronting the Vic Metro players will be balancing their schedules. He is aware of the need for the players to ease into training and games. “Once these kids come back, it’s not only nationals, they’ll have their club commitments and their schools are going to want them to
train with them,” Klaman said. “As much as I want to get them back to training and go crazy, we’re really going to have to manage their bodies because all of a sudden a lot of kids are going to go from zero to 100 overnight. “We’re going to have to walk slowly when we start this thing.” Other Dandenong links to the Vic Metro under-18 program include Katrina Barry, team manager of the girls team, and Brent Andrews, the development coach of the boys. berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au
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